Hey! I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I’d swing by!
Hi there. Always good to see you.
Love the new office. By the way, there’s something I wanted to talk about.
We’ve built a lot together over the years, but… what do you say we try something new?
Something new, huh…?
Actually, I’ve been toying with an idea.
And to pull it off, I need a construction partner who’s quick on their feet and rock-solid reliable.
Niki, you’re the perfect fit.
Well, I’m flattered. So, what’s this idea of yours?
It’s not easy to sum up…
But for the past few years, I’ve been diving into one big theme: the environment.
Ah, so that’s why you moved the office.
When you say ‘environment,’ are we talking insulation? Or maybe all that SDGs stuff everyone’s into lately?
Those matter too, of course.
But I’ve come to realize there’s something even more fundamental we need to focus on first.
I want to bring that into architecture—architecture that actually makes people excited.
So… what do you say? Join me?
Not sure I follow all of it, but it sounds fun. I’m in!
But hey, we need a team name, don’t we?
Already got one in mind.
How about INSECT?
Insect, as in bugs?
Well, we are bug-people after all. Sure, let’s roll with it!
Done! Then it’s settled—Team INSECT, launch!!!
You can skip the “Commentary” or “Notes” at first if you like.
If you’re interested, feel free to read them later.
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I (the model for Onon—though I can’t speak as eloquently as him!) once lived and worked in a combined home-and-office in Komatsubara, Kagoshima City.
It was a minimal model of an urban SOHO, showing that even in urban areas of Kagoshima, where land is expensive and flat areas are limited, you can still build a home if you think creatively.
Over time, I started thinking deeply about the environment, and I realized I wouldn’t truly understand anything until I changed my own lifestyle.
So I began searching for a new base and found a used house in the mountains of Hioki City, less than 30 minutes from Komatsubara. I decided to relocate my main office there.
It’s a village with beautiful natural scenery—I fell in love with it at first sight.
I was surprised to find such a place still within commuting distance of the city (though in the opposite direction of normal commuting). It made me think this lifestyle could become a new model for the future.
Around that time, Mr. Ninomiya (the model for Niki), whom I had long worked with, asked if I wanted to start something new. That gave me the push to finally go for it.
I believe that values differ from person to person, and the role of an architect is to expand and realize the client’s values to the fullest—not to impose my own.
The same goes for the theme of “environment.” People have diverse views on it, and so do those who commission us at Onoken.
Since Onoken often focuses on urban living, I thought it might be clearer to separate the theme of “environment” into its own initiative—and that’s one reason why we launched “INSECT.”